The Longstanding Relationship Between Taylor Swift And Russell Westbrook Is Beautiful And Makes No Sense

Russell Westbrook, 2017 NBA MVP, and the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for a season, is a hardcore Swiftie.

After winning the award for 2017 NBA MVP, Russell was congratulated by Taylor Swift on the Oklahoma City Thunder Twitter page. The singer emerged from a musical hiatus away from the public eye to record a sweet video relating a playful, fictional story of twenty years of friendship to congratulate Westbrook on his historical win.

On one hand, it’s pretty amazing that someone who is a major player (some would say “the best player”) in his field can show such unabashed appreciation for another artist, who is also extremely successful in her own world, and that she would return the favor. On the other hand, it seems so unlikely and bizarre that these two folks, with very little in common, would be so enthusiastic about showing each other love on social media.

Except, this wasn’t the first time the two traded social media appreciation. They have had a pretty substantial history of shout-outs and acknowledgement going back to at least 2013.

See below for a timeline of this unlikely but amazing bond of mutual appreciation.